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Pray for relief and access to clean water where people are suffering from extreme heat and drought in the world; ask God to help us work with one another to care for our environment and precious water resources, find ways to ease and prevent the impact of climate change, and share generously our resources to provide for the essential needs of people everywhere.

Pray that we might be persistent and caring in seeking, inviting and welcoming people who have left our congregations, feel unwelcome because of who they are or what they’ve done, have been hurt by conflict or feel they have no place in the church, the body of Christ.

Pray for God’s mercy, forgiveness and guidance when we stray from God’s ways or find ourselves worshiping wealth, earthly possessions, power or status more than we worship God.

National Hispanic Heritage Month: Give thanks for the gifts, contributions and rich cultural diversity of our Latino brothers and sisters and pray for the work and growth of the 147 ELCA Latino ministries in the United States as they share the gospel, encourage our unity in Christ, support pastors and lay leaders, and serve their neighbors in many community contexts.

9/14 Holy Cross Day  Today, give thanks and lift up words of celebration for Jesus’ self-sacrificing, redemptive, life-giving offering on the cross for the sake of all humanity.

As members of the body of Christ we are like “trees planted by streams of water,” sustained in all that we do, nurtured to bear fruits of the Spirit and strengthened to follow the word and ways of God. Pray that we are not shy about inviting others to have faith in God’s redeeming love through Christ and enjoying the life-enriching blessings of being in a community of faith.

Pray that the peace, confidence and grace of God given to us in Jesus Christ will prevail and calm our every fear and anxiety in these turbulent and uncertain times.

Praise God for knowing us better than we know ourselves and assuring us that we are loved and are never forgotten or alone in the world.

Continue to pray for peace, justice, reconciliation and economic opportunity for the people and countries of Central America, and pray that the United States and other nations will respond to their needs with humanitarian and economic assistance, collaborative efforts to find effective, lasting solutions to the crises they are experiencing, and prayerful, enduring support. 

“God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday Pray for children, youth and adults involved in volunteer community service across the country in partnership with neighboring congregations, Lutheran agencies and community organizations. Give thanks for the living, daring confidence in God’s grace from which our every act of service throughout life flows!

Pray that our actions, words, work, service and concern for our neighbors in need — be they strangers, friends or forgotten — bear witness to the word and ways of God made known to us through Jesus Christ and instilled in us by the Holy Spirit.

Give thanks and praise to God as we celebrate with the 2019 graduates of the ELCA International Women Leaders initiative: Sthela Gun Holly Hanitrinirina (Malagasy Lutheran Church); Yuen Ching Lee, Abby Lai and Melissa Neo (Lutheran Church in Malaysia); and Elisa Pérez-Trejo (Mexican Lutheran Church). Give thanks for all who have supported them throughout the program, and ask God to bless their service and ministry as they move forward.